UNIV 103 Scientific Revolutions – Fall 2011
UNIV 103: Scientific Revolutions
Fall 2011
Instructor:
Office:
Office Hours:
Phone:
E-mail:
Required Texts:
D2L:
Dr. Lynn Marquez
107 Brossman
TR 9:00-11:00 and W 4:00-5:00
Or By Appointment
872-3288
Lynn.Marquez@millersville.edu
Science and Its Ways of Knowing
Eds. John Hatton & Paul B. Plouffe
Prentice Hall 1997
https://millersville.desire2learn.com/
Course Objectives
Following successful completion of this course the competent student will be able to:
a) Distinguish between scientific and commonly accepted meaning of words such as hypothesis and theory.
b) Describe how scientific inquiry employs observations of the natural world to construct testable
hypotheses.
c) List and describe the contributions of ten scientists critical to the advancement of major theories.
d) Explain how communication and collaboration among colleagues enhances the scientific process.
e) Describe the process by which ideas become theories and provide examples of such.
f) Compare and contrast the scientific method as practiced in different disciplines.
g) Evaluate, correlate, and synthesize information into coherent written and oral presentations.
h) Compare and contrast the development of major scientific ideas
i) Articulate and explain at least four lines of evidence that support the theories of Evolution and Plate
Tectonics.
j) Describe the impact that revolutionary discoveries have made on society.
k) Discuss ethics as it applies to science and society.
l) Participate in and reflect on the Day of Caring experience.
Course Schedule
Date
8/30
9/1
9/6
Class Topic
Assignment Due
Introduction
Copernican Revolution
Read Coming of Age in the Milky Way Chs. 1-2
Copernican Revolution
Read Coming of Age in the Milky Way Chs. 3-5
Typed Resume
9/8
What’s a Syllabus?
Bring all Course Syllabi
9/13
Copernican Revolution
Read Coming of Age in the Milky Way Chs. 1-5
Day of Caring Reflection
9/15
Ethical Writing Skills – Plagiarism and Referencing
9/20
What is Science and how does it differ from other
modes of inquiry?
9/22
Career Services
9/27
WRAP UP & REVIEW
9/29
EXAM 1 – Copernican Revolution & What is Science
What is Science Essay
1
UNIV 103 Scientific Revolutions – Fall 2011
Date
Class Topic
10/4
Reflection – Exams! Learning Styles? Study Skills!
10/6
Evolution
Read Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea Chs 1-2
10/11
Fall Break – No Class – Yahoo!
10/13
10/18
Assignment Due
Evolution
Read Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea Chs 3-4
Evolution
Read Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea Chs 1-4
10/20
Facts, Hypotheses, Theories, & Laws Discussion
10/25
Transition: Time Management? Financial Aid? Roomates Stink?
10/27
WRAP UP & REVIEW
11/1
EXAM 2 – Evolution & Scientific Terminology
11/3
Academic Advising
11/8
11/10
11/15
11/17
Printed DARS
Plate Tectonics
Read Earth: Portrait of a Planet Ch 3
Plate Tectonics
Read Earth: Portrait of a Planet Ch 4
Scientific Breakthroughs & Scientific Consensus
Discussion
Plate Tectonics
Read Earth: Portrait of a Planet Chs. 3-4
11/22
EXAM 3 – Plate Tectonics & Good Science
11/24
Thanksgiving – No Class – Yahoo!
11/29
Final Preparations & Transition
12/1
Science and You Presentation Topic #1
12/6
Science and You Presentation Topic #2
12/8
Science and You Presentation Topic #3
Dec 16
12:30-2:30
Scientific Meaning Essay
Semester ReCap
Scientific Breakthroughs Essay
Rough Draft of Final Paper
Final Paper Due
Course Policies and Procedures
Attendance Policy: Regular attendance is expected and required. If you cannot attend class please notify me
ahead of time. Thanks!
How to Succeed in this Class: The simple answer is pay attention. Show up to class and pay attention. Read
the assigned texts prior to class, outline those texts and take notes, review your notes, complete assignments
when due, ask questions, participate, be thoughtful and deliberate with your time, connect the dots. It’s incredibly
easy to show up and read and NOT pay attention. If you don’t pay attention it won’t do you any good to be in
class or to read. Be active not passive. Most importantly and this is the most difficult thing to do, pay attention to
yourself. Recognize when you’ve lost the point and figure out where you lost it. Then if you’re still lost you must
seek assistance immediately. Talk to your classmates. Talk to me. I’m more than willing to help you outside of
class. It’s one of my favorite parts of the job. In short, PAY ATTENTION to yourself and to me.
2
UNIV 103 Scientific Revolutions – Fall 2011
Classroom Etiquette:
 Be on time.
 Do not socialize with your classmates during class.
 Be clean. Recycle.
 Turn your phones and computers off and put them away. I have a no tolerance policy for mobile phone
use. Anyone caught texting or using any social/entertainment media on their cell phones or computers during
class time will have their final grade reduced by 5% points (roughly a step in letter grade e.g. B+ to B) for
every instance.
E-mail Use and Abuse: E-mail is a great thing, but it is often abused and is a poor substitute for personal contact.
If you have a quick question such as, “What are we doing in class today?” Use your brain and look on the
syllabus. That is why I’ve spent literally hours putting this document together. E-mails with questions such as, “I
was reading Wegner’s Theory of Continental Drift and I don’t really understand how he used the geographic
distribution of glossopteris leaves to prove that continents were once aligned. Could you please explain this to
me?” are not appropriate. I cannot adequately answer those types of questions via e-mail. A more appropriate
e-mail would be something like, “I’ve been reading about continental drift and I have a few questions about the
lines of evidence. Could we meet tomorrow afternoon?” One last thing about e-mail, always use proper
greetings, punctuation, grammar, and closings. Often times I receive e-mails with no salutations and no closings
and the only identifier is the e-mail address which is often something like, sugarbaby@yadayada.com . How am I
supposed to know who sugarbaby is? And more importantly, do I really want to know who sugarbaby is?
Essays: There will be one essay due for each unit of the course. These essays will be based upon readings from
the text, Science and Its Ways of Knowing. A well constructed essay will summarize, synthesize, and properly
reference at least three readings from the text.
Essay Topic
What is science and how does it differ from other
modes of inquiry?
The meaning of fact, hypothesis, theory, and law.
Scientific Method and Breakthroughs
Relevant Reading from Hatton & Plouffe
You must reference the essay by Popper (page 81)
as well as any additional essay in Part I. Especially
relevant essays include those by Pirsig (page 3),
Kneller (page 7), Bauer (page 11), and Hoagland
(page 119).
Any essay in Part II would be appropriate.
Especially relevant essays include those by Wynn
(page 60) and Gould (page 87).
You must reference the essay by Root-Bernstein
(page 108). Many essays throughout the book
relate; however, other especially relevant essays
include those by Scudder (page 143), and Poinar &
Poinar (page 146)
Discussion Expectations: We will have one major class discussion before each exam. These discussions will be
based upon your readings from Science and Its Ways of Knowing as well as science in the news reports and of
course class content. The class shares the responsibility for the success of the group discussion through active
participation. Before each classroom discussion students should: 1. Read or research the required articles
carefully and purposefully. 2. Think about the ideas, arguments, theses, or views presented in these articles. 3.
Make notes and identify questions you might want to explore. During each classroom discussion students
should: 1. Speak clearly and freely. 2. Listen to the ideas and opinions of others. 3. Stick to the topic or issue
under discussion. 4. Abstain from monopolizing or dominating the discussion. 5. Refrain from private or side
discussions while someone else is speaking.
Biography: Each student will be assigned an important person in the history of science related to either the
heliocentric, evolution, or plate tectonic theories. Students will be expected to present what they learn to the class
both through an informal classroom presentation as well as an on-line presentation.
3
UNIV 103 Scientific Revolutions – Fall 2011
Evaluation Criteria:






Classroom Participation
o Properly prepared for class
o Science in the news
o Service Learning Participation and Reflection
o Seminars and Co-curricular Events
Classroom Discussion
o Regular participation
o Insightful and thoughtful comments
Biography Paper and/or Wiki
Essays
o How is science different?
o Fact, Hypothesis, Theory, Law
o Scientific Breakthroughs and Scientific Consensus
Exams
o Copernican Revolution
o Evolution
o Plate Tectonics
Final Paper, Presentation, Discussion
o Final paper
 The grade for the paper will be evenly split between
the rough and final draft.
o Final presentation
10%
10%
4%
28%
28%
20%
10%
10%
4